In which area of chemistry would you study polymer synthesis?

Studying polymer synthesis falls under the category of organic chemistry because polymers are typically composed of long chains of organic molecules. Organic chemistry focuses on the study of carbon-containing compounds and their reactions, which is foundational for understanding how monomers (the basic building blocks of polymers) react and combine through processes such as addition or condensation reactions to form polymer chains.

In polymer synthesis, various methods are employed, including radical polymerization, step-growth polymerization, and living polymerization techniques. Each of these methods is rooted in organic chemistry principles, such as reactivity and molecular structure, which are essential for manipulating the types of bonds formed and the molecular nature of the resulting polymer.

This distinction makes organic chemistry the appropriate field for studying polymer synthesis, unlike physical chemistry, which primarily addresses the physical properties and behavior of substances, or analytical chemistry, which involves the techniques used to analyze the compositions of materials. Inorganic chemistry focuses on inorganic compounds and minerals, which typically do not include the carbon-based structures characteristic of polymers. Therefore, organic chemistry is the correct choice for the study of polymer synthesis.